Helping Family Face Future

As they raced around the Glendale parking lot on their shiny new go-carts Wednesday, Andrew and Matthew Lazzaretto were having too much fun to ponder a future without their father, a Glendale police officer who was gunned down in the line of duty more than a year ago.

But over time, the boys may find comfort in the knowledge that tragedies sometimes bring out the best in people--in this case two complete strangers.

For the second year in a row, Larry and Ralph Cimmarusti donated a day’s profits from their Burger King at the corner of Central Avenue and San Fernando Road to the family of Charles Lazzaretto. They dubbed this year’s event “Building for the Future.”

“I guess the key point is that kids don’t go away--they need our support,” said Larry Cimmarusti. “It keeps the awareness level up for something we shouldn’t forget.”

Cimmarusti said his brother got the idea to help the Lazzarettos last year as they watched the solemn gathering of officers at Glendale police headquarters before the officer was laid to rest.

Through their Glendale Burger King, the Cimmarusti brothers have raised $28,000 for the Lazzarettos, and have encouraged other area businesses to kick in an additional $100,000.

“They are genuine people doing this out of the bottom of their hearts,” said Annamaria Lazzaretto. “You just don’t see that.”

The months since her husband was killed have been difficult, Annamaria Lazzaretto said. In addition to coping with the emotional trauma of losing her husband and the challenge of raising the two boys, ages 4 and 5, alone, Lazzaretto was named in civil suits in federal and state court that had been filed against her husband over alleged brutality, she said.

Although both cases have been dismissed, she said, she cannot set up a trust fund for her boys until appeals courts rule on the cases.

“We hope we never have to do this [again]” Glendale Police Sgt. Rick Young said of the fund-raiser. “But it’s comforting for the officers to see this, to know that their families will be taken care of.”

The Cimmarusti brothers said they will continue with the fund-raiser for two more years.

“We don’t want people to forget that he died in the line of duty and how important the Police Department is,” said Larry Cimmarusti.